Linux

Because

• it works (pretty fundamental!),
• popular alternatives are pretty much evil.

So, I know you think the 2nd point is a hyperbole. That truly I'm exaggerating. Well, actually no, I'm not. I genuinely believe that closed source OSes are one of the biggest epistemological trauma Mankind ever experienced. It's right behind fake as an organized political tool. Sure troll farms and political advertising take the cake... but honestly a locked down OS is very very close. Why? Well because it forces people who use a computer to assume the computer is a black box. It's a thing they can use a certain way. That certain way might be good, lucky them, or bad but regardless they must find a way to make their entire life, professional and private, fit within that very small black box. They are trained, day after day, interaction after interaction, as a lifetime of servitude. The personal computer was supposed to be a "bicycle for the mind" but truly, between closed source OS and the "cloud" (someone else computer, for profit) Mankind has been trained to accept and use a computer as they have been told.

This is an absolute disgrace and should never be accepted. This was bad in the 70s... but nowadays everything around you is a computer. Your computer is a computer (duh) but your phone is a computer, your console is a computer, your headphones are tiny computers, your e-bike is a computer, your doorbell is a computer, your printer is a computer, your washing machine is a computer, heck a light bulb or a button on your wall might be computers!

So... when your entire life is surrounded by small black boxes you are taught never to challenge, your life is miserable.

That's why I switched to Linux.

I heard that the Playstation 3 would be able to run something called Linux and I wanted to become some kind of Neo😅

Then I went on and off between Windows and Ubuntu until fully switching to Linux around 2020.

Running Fedora with Gnome these last few years.

During early high school years I heard about this thing called linux and there's something that's ubuntu, and said, why not? downloaded the ISO, installed on my USB with rufus, had panic attacks installing the dual boot myself for the first time, and done. After 2 months I switched to Arch (best thing I did) and ever since I'm deep diving in this Programming-Linux-Cybersecurity rabbit hole that I'm quite enjoying.

Fast forward to now, I'm using LFS and compiling my own kernel. My main desktop is a T440p with 4 OSes installed (maybe adding Plan9 to the mix if it supports my system)

I'm planing to mess more with "my own" distro thing maybe installing a Linux system without GNU: Linux + sinit + sbase + ubase + musl

Fix your title

I was bored. Nowadays I would like to store sensible data (i.e. any personal data) on my laptop, so I use Linux

I've dual booted Linux on and off, mostly Ubuntu every few years over the last 20 years but it never stuck. Windows was acceptable enough for what I wanted, gaming, programming and audio production. Didn't even mind windows 11 that much however one of their last big updates broke Bluetooth audio for me and apparently that was the last straw so installed endeavour os and haven't turned back. Only issue is I haven't quite replaced everything I could do on windows yet, can't ignore it forever

I initially installed Linux on my old Chromebook in highschool when they upgraded and let us pay to keep the old ones. I installed GalliumOS so that I could sneak in the old Chromebook to play Undertale during class, but eventually after getting tired of Windows BS I've installed Linux on all my computers

Sick of microsofts shit (popups, AI, random unknown settings changes that i dont notice until its too late and shit is broken) and i wanted to learn Linux and get some home server experience.

I am a developer and data scientist. I adopted Linux for work around 2017. Also switched all my PCs over around the same time

I remember the announcement of Windows Recall being the final nail in the coffin for me. I’ve been using both for years, but windows was my daily forever. With Win10 support ending, and my “old” machine still chugging along, I’d planned on using Win11 with a modified ISO to get around the TPM requirement. I’d been toying with the idea of going Linux as my daily, but once Recall was announced, that decision was basically made for me.

This will date me, but I first developed a hatred for Windoze when they used their monopoly power and political payoffs to illegally crush Netscape. I switched to Linux in 2003 and never looked back.

I had a laptop with a borked Windows installation. Unfortunately, it didn't come with any kind of recovery partition or DVD. So, I took a chance on Linux and I liked it better.

I like learning and the thrill of tinkering, my computer's HD had died, remembered a system a teacher had commented about and also a friend suggested to recover some needed files, tested and was positively surprised.

I had to use a library that only works in a UNIX like OS. So I switched to linux and never looked back.

Probably the same reason many people use it:

Heard about it from someone/online --> tried it in a VM --> Tried it on real hardware --> Liked it enough to keep it/ditch windows partition if they dual-booted.

In my case, I started with Mint in 2023 and eventually distro-hopped to ArcoLinux (RIP) then Arch (BTW). Trying out Endeavour now as my Arch-Arco install is a mess and I'd like something similar to Arco.

Oh as for the reason why: Sick of Microsoft's shit and didn't want to downgrade from Windows 10 to 11.

Because OS/2 was about to be discontinued.

Well, "why" is just curiosity and wanting to explore new things. I had been learning some programming on Windows, but had heard rumblings about linux. I explored Red Hat, wasn't wowed. It was fine, but not enough to lure me away. That was 26 yrs ago.

14 yrs ago, I created a dual boot on my laptop, with Ubuntu/Gnome. After about 2 yrs, I made Ubuntu my daily. A windows auto update tried to wipe linux off my drive, so I put Windows in jail, shrunk the partition as small as I could, and removed it from the boot sequence. I don't distro hop, I used Ubuntu until earlier this year. It was always good enough, never awesome, but i learned things and felt a whole lote more secure than on windows.

About 6 months ago, I switched to Fedora/KDE. I'm sure I could find lots of benefits to other distros, but I never felt much need to shop around. BTW, I absolutely love Fedora /KDE in a way I never felt about Ubuntu. Maybe it's just KDE vs Gnome. It just feels so much more comfortable.

Sometimes I want to read the sources of the programs I use and learn how they work.

cuz windows sucks major balls and i was sick of it breaking itself (and the spyware)

I can't remember why, most likely because i got tired of MS and wanted to finally daily drive Linux. I was already working doing windows support so it was a personal challenge. That was about 7 years ago and thanks to that I've also setup my own server

Back in 2002 it was eye candy.

Compiz compositor. The 3D cube and wobly windows.

And still Linux can be the most beautiful UI of all OSes out there.

I have been tinkering with Linux before, but some software needed Windows.

I tried switching those apps.

• Corel to InkScape went well, I instantly liked it better.
• MS Office to LibreOffice: I just don't need Excel that much, so it's OK.
• Corel laser engraving to K40Whisperer: a breath of fresh air, simple and efficient.

Then, free from all those chains I installed EndeavourOS, and it's been great.

I switched because Windows increasingly feels like it is not mine to use control and configure as I see fit. Functions and "features" are intrusive things that Microsoft wants, not me. They make it harder and harder to strip their bullshit out. Apparently I'm not the customer anymore but they still want me to pay for it.

Linux only ever does exactly what I want with total control, for free. It's damn near perfect.

Went to Linux when I was a teenager, went back to Windows.

My return however is a lot more bittersweet. One of my cats died. The other cat went into mourning. Wanted to keep him company while doing my shit, so I took my old laptop and installed Xubuntu on it. While I was using it I realised that Linux had come a long, long way since I last used it and I could use it as a daily driver. Got a new laptop soon after and installed Mint on it.

Then Windows on my main PC started demanding I update. Realised I couldn't afford to, both software and hardware wise, so I decided to go full Linux. Never looked back. Typing this on my Laptop running Fedora while I try kill time before an interview.

TL;DR: I came back to Linux because I wanted to hang out with my cat while he mourned.

My old desktop couldnt update to 11. But for my newer computer, Windows recall was a deciding factor. Fuck that shit. Also fuck their "ai" nonsense.

It's nice that it's free and doing little to nothing contrary to my interests.

SSD died that had windows 10 on it. During the re-installation process I got fed up with onedrive and skype popping up every reboot despite being told not to start with windows multiple times. Attempt to disable, the next round of windows update brings them back. I didn't even have the absolute basics up and running before I lost all patience for it. Downloaded several distros, setup like 10 different USB sticks to boot them all. Cycled through them for a bit poking around and testing out. Landed on Garuda Linux kinda by chance, but it has been great. It was so refreshing to have a computer feel like it's mine again.

Customization and no bloatware. I also love tinkering and finding problems to solve, so Arch was the distro I went with.

Tired of the constant pop ups in windows 10. The constant upselling of their product.

An OS shouldn't get in the way of what you are doing and Windows was always popping up some bullshit.

Fed up of Microsoft's BS and it's inconsistent UI/UX design. Made my very first PC build around last Christmas and have dual-boot of both Linux Mint and Windows 11 and I been mostly fine with Linux.

I'd dabbled with Linux and multiple distros in the past and while I liked what I saw I had my frustrations. Various distros had their pros and cons and I wasn't as technically capable back then.

After Windows 11's unnecessary launch I gave Windows 10 LTSC a try. I don't think it was LTSC specific but my experience was buggy as hell and would BSOD every other day. So I thought I'd force myself to use Linux and have used Arch or other flavors of Arch ever since. No sink or swim, I was just going to live with it and not deal with Microsoft's bullshit anymore.

Back in the day I wanted to be a 1337 hAx0R so I installed Linux to get my wifi adapter into monitor mode so I could pwn wifi. Eventually I just didn't leave Linux, probably in part because a few friends of mine ran it and refused to run Windows, we used to have LAN parties fairly regularly so yeah just convenient.

I had heard it was ready for gaming, and I wanted to see for myself. It wasn't, at the time, but I used it for a few months before I switched back to Windows for a bit. Then, after another year on Windows, I gave Pop!_OS a chance. That sent me on a full spiral into distro hopping, and I'm on CachyOS now - not switching from Linux again.

The final straw for me was when windows 11 removed the windows 10 start bar ability to move the start bar to the top of the screen.

Switched to Linux in 2002 because I hated using windows & was searching for a better computing experience. Instantly fell in love & have been daily driving Linux ever since....

Computers were either Windows or Mac, they couldn't be anything else, that was a fact. Then I saw someone using Linux and had so many questions. How? I was given a Knoppix live CD, went home, and booted my home PC into Knoppix and it changed my perception of computers.

I didn't change over immediately but eventually Ubuntu was handing out install CDs and YouTube was full of wobbly windows and desktop cubes. It wasn't useful but it looked cool.

I still needed Windows for gaming, but for day to day it was so much easier to use Linux.

Eventually my gaming was exclusively on the Switch and then was I was looking to play certain PC games the Steam Deck was available, so I bought that.

I think Windows 8 was the last one I used and I've never had any desire to go back. Linux is just easier.

Im going to do the opposite and exclaim why I did not sooner. So my career has been in IT and most users machines were windows. It makes it easier to run the same thing and deal with issues yourself that you will have to do for others. Add in I also found it best to utilize the oldest hand me downs for myself. This is mainly to handle the person who wants an upgrade. If their machine is older or less powerful than yours then that is their argument. In addition I did tech support for my wife who I could not convince to go to linux if I was not on it myself and I at one point was buying multiple machines to handle longevity. IE I would buy three of the same laptop ultimately (was good to have a bit of delay so that the last one would be in warranty longest). Anyway my wife just wanted to powerful of hardware as she is, well, spoiled and it was to expensive to double or triple that up. So I started just using whatever old laptops I could find including hers. Also my roles got to the point were I never dealt with users laptops at work although generally I had to use a windows one. So when windows 11 came I suddenly realized all the reasons I had for not moving to linux were pretty much gone. And well the whole screenshot everything and feed it to ai was beyond the pale. I have to say before that too I was getting pretty frustrated playing wack a mole with shutting down telemetry. So I already had used and like zorin in playing around in vms and such and finally just threw it on my actually sorta new/old laptop. So I encourage people who are new or hesitant to put it on their old machine (which is likely way newer than my new/old) but in my case I kept the old one for the few use cases I needed with and do most of the low hanging fruit on linux. Its a bit frustrating as I have been out of work so I won't buy anything that is not strictly necessary but alls I need is a drive to move over the higher fruit.

Because I wanted an OS that conforms to some standards, gives me freedom, and doesn't give my data to a corporation

Had to reinstall Windows XP one time too many

Switch implies I only have one computer .... I have many, including several servers.

Ever since I have memory I've been a tinkerer and linux being OS enables you to do amazing things ... along with open source software.

I (dont) use arch BTW ... Windows on my gaming PC (because of antichieat amongst other compatibility foes) Mint on my personal tablet and Proxmox on my servers

I had to switch to Linux because it wasn't presented with any option besides Microsoft when I learned how to computer.

win10 1709 decided to wipe some of my files.

My laptop has been discontinued by the manufacture for a couple years now and with support for Windows 10 ending, I wanted to increase the lifespan of my device so I looked into Linux. The lack of ads, bloat, and spyware are also major selling point to me.

I felt limited with the Windows terminal and also to use better window managers

I was a Windows user as a kid in the 80s & 90s doing pirate installs of 3.11 and later 95 for friends and family. I got into "computers" early and was pretty dedicated to the "Windows is the best!" camp from a young age. I had a friend who was a dedicated Mac user though, and she was bringing me around. The idea of a more-stable, virus-free desktop experience was pretty compelling.

That all changed when I went to school and had access to a proper "Mac lab" though. Those motherfuckers crashed multiple times an hour, and took the whole OS with them when they did it. What really got to me though was the little "DAAAAAAAAAAA!" noise it would make when you had to hard reboot it. It was as if it was celebrating its inadequacy and expected you to participate... every time it fucked you over and erased your work.

So yeah, Macs were out.

I hadn't even heard of Linux in 2000 when I first discovered the GPL, which (for some reason) I conflated with GNOME. I guess I thought that GNOME was a new OS based on what I could only describe as communist licensing. I loved the idea, but was intimidated by the "ix" in the name. "Ix" meant "Unix" to me, and Unix was using Pine to check email, so not a real computer as far as I was concerned.

It wasn't until 2000 that I joined a video game company called "Moshpit Entertainment" that I tried it. You see, the CEO, CTO, and majority of tech people at Moshpit were huge Linux nerds and they indoctrinated me into their cult. I started with SuSe (their favourite), then RedHat, then used Gentoo for 10 years before switching to Arch for another 10+.

TL;DR: Anticapitalism and FOSS cultists lead me into the light.

The moment i saw windows 11 had telemetry. I was SO mad at windows at that moment. So i erased it from existence.